I'm adding this little bit of fun for our UGN Security members. I'm going to be the orchestrator of this tournament, and will reside over all games that are played to verify wins between UGN Security members.

I've setup a page on my website to provide ranking statistics and information on upcoming games. If you wish to watch a game, let me know, and I'll give you further details.

I need to know all the chess players of UGN Security who is willing to participate. I have written a chess program that may be used by windows and linux WINE users to play the game over the internet. If that is not an option, we may choose to join a Yahoo Games! chess table or something to play the game. Time and date and the means will be negotiated by me with the people playing in a given game.

A chess match between 2 players involves playing 2 games where each player plays white then black. The winner of both games is the match winner. If both players win once, then it is a tie. They can either leave it as a tie, or play 2 more games etc until a match winner is determined. If only one game was played, and one of the players do not choose to play another game, then they forfeit the balancing game resulting in at best, a tie.

The ladder ranking of players is determined by me. Just because a person has the most match wins doesn't make them the best player, and so, I'll rank them according to my best judgement.

pergesu jumped into the scene yesterday with a stunning 2 win steak placing him in 3rd place. After positively smashing Ghost4126, he moved on to show brilliant plays and a less than 10 move checkmate on BlackKnight.

This glory drive came to a crashing halt today when the scheduled match between pergesu and loanbanker started. From the beginning it was obvious loanbanker is no stranger to chess with the statement "I love this game". In a methodical game of minor victories here and there he tore away pergesu's defenses and finally went for his first victory. In the second game pergesu rallied and threw up a formidable defense causing the game to come to a near lock up. Finally, loanbanker made his choice and drove into pergesu's side and once again with the agony of the grinding of a can opener, peeled away pergesu's defense to attack his exposed king.

Loanbanker's playing showed not only skill, but experience as well in the game that adds up to a serious rival for the current champion - SilentRage. It is no wonder when, with only 1 win to his name, loanbanker was shifted from 5th place to 2nd.

The inevitable title game happened immediately. Soon into the game loanbanker knew that the current champion was no push over. But SilentRage also played cautiously in their first game where loanbanker was white, and SilentRage was black - his admittedly weak side. The game was strangely reminiscent of the game between pergesu and loanbanker. Defense was played high at first until SilentRage started to drive into loanbanker's side. loanbanker's defense however did not crumble although SilentRage gained several pawns in advantage. A close game from start to finish, many exchanges were made before SilentRage finally backed loanbanker into a corner after taking all of his pieces and checkmated him.

The second game started far more exciting. SilentRage, using white and at his best, used his favorite Queen's Gambit opener. loanbanker, accepting the gambit started the game a pawn ahead and managed to hold on to it and put on some pressure creating worry in the defending champion that he would slowly lose. However, he managed to pull himself back together, and in a flurry of exchanges, managed to come out even again. After a hard fight, SilentRage managed to win once again.

Of course you can compete. Just PM me when you'll be available, how you prefer me to contact ya.

btw everybody. Our very own administrator Gizmo has actually played once in the tournament. Gizmo faced off against dashocker - a respectable chess player in his own right. It was a fun game to see. The tables turned several times and at the last the game was a tie where only the king was left to both of them.

I've slightly changed things. Now that we've got a fairly accurate ranking of people, I won't be scheduling any more matches. So I've renamed that column to "Challenges". If you want to move up the ladder you may ask me to put up a challenge. And I'll see if I can get the game scheduled.

I would like to be a part of UCC, therefore I challenge ever member of it SR, LoanBanker, Perg, Dash, wizzy, Gizmo ;P, Bluefire, Digital_Geek, BlackKnight, and Ghost. I have to leave for thanksgiving today, at 11am, I will be in dc for the night, and will log on. I will be in NYC the next day for a few days for thanksgiving. In NYC I maybe on broadband. Then the following days I will return to DC, and then home. I hope to have a challenge back from every player, and my email is [email protected] I'm on UGN Security irc quite a bit now, and incidently...you can contact me a number of ways. I look forward to my try at pwning you all into stalement or checkmate. ;P

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"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shunThe frumious Bandersnatch!"